Dutch courage steals a classic Tour Down Under

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DUTCHMAN Tom Slagter was still in shock last night as he thanked his lion-hearted teammates for helping him all but seal the 2013 Santos Tour Down Under.

Two days after notching his first professional win in Stirling, the Blanco Pro Cycling rider yesterday finished second on Stage 5 on top of Old Willunga Hill to move into the overall lead.

Only a disaster would see him surrender his 13-second advantage on the general classification to Movistar's Javier Moreno when the Tour finishes with a 90km criterium through the city today.

The 23-year-old admitted he was in for a sleepless night but said he had every confidence his teammates could control today's final stage.

And they're riding wounded after Graeme Brown and Wilco Kelderman were injured in Friday's crash in Tanunda.

"Every rider on our team did a great job, they go for bottles, they ride in the wind all day for me, they pulled the last 60 or 70km to bring the front group back and I'm really proud of the team," Slagter said.

"The whole week is amazing for the team, first with the win (on Thursday) for me and today that I can hang the jersey on my shoulders is really amazing.

"I don't think I actually believe it on this moment.

"This is incredible. The stage win was really nice and I was really proud but today with this jersey on my shoulders we can show to the whole world what a great team we are."

Slagter started the 151.5km stage five seconds behind leader Geraint Thomas of Team Sky.

But when the heat was on in the final kilometres up the climb, he unleashed a brutal burst of speed and was overtaken only by Simon Gerrans who won the stage.

"The first time (up Willunga) I was not sure about Thomas' legs," Slagter said.

"But the last two k's (kilometres) I was in his wheel and I thought that I could get him.

"At 600m I saw Gerrans go with Moreno and I knew that Moreno was only a few seconds behind me.

"Gerrans was not a problem for the general (classification) but he showed that this is his hill I think."

Slagter's looming victory today is a major boost for the Blanco team which lost title sponsor Rabobank in the wake of last year's doping storm.

"I think this is the best way to show to the Dutch people and the world how nice cycling can be and what we can do as Dutch riders," he said.

"I only can say I am proud of the team and I hope we can find a new sponsor."

It took more than 10km for a seven-man breakaway to form after a rapid start to the race saw the peloton average over 50km/h as it left McLaren Vale.

The break of Thomas DeGendt, Tomas Marczynski, Jens Mouris, Koen De Kort, Klaas Lodewyck, Calvin Watson and Manuele Boaro eventually escaped the bunch and built a four minute lead after 70km.

Blanco went to the front of the bunch to reel in the break at the start of the 3km climb before Eros Capecchi, Jurgen Roelandts, Jose Herrada, Guillaume Bonnafond were the first to attack.

Ivan Santaromita, Tiago Machado and Peter Velits responded but they didn't have the legs when Gerrans and Slagter lit it up in the dying stages.

Thomas finished 17th, conceding 28 seconds and said his legs blew up with 500m to go.

"Gerrans came past and he was just a bit too fast for me.

"I was stuck in the wind, I went backwards then with about 400m to go and lost the whole thing," Thomas said.

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